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Mature size & growth rate

How big does Burrawang (Macrozamia communis) get?

Also called Burrawang, Burrawang Cycad, Common Zamia.

More about burrawang

About Burrawang

Macrozamia communis · also called Burrawang, Burrawang Cycad · tropical

Macrozamia communis is an Australian cycad native to coastal New South Wales, where it grows in dry sclerophyll forest understorey. It tolerates drought, poor soils, and deep shade once established, making it a resilient but very slow-growing ornamental. The single most important care fact is that it needs near-perfect drainage — waterlogged roots rot rapidly, often fatally. Highly toxic to dogs and cats (and humans); all parts contain cycasin and should be kept well away from pets and children.

Mature size: Fronds 1–2 m long; whole plant typically 1–1.5 m tall and wide after many decades.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Burrawang is a tree at heart. Indoors a pot and your ceiling keep it to fronds 1–2 m long, but in the ground it is a different scale of plant entirely (whole plant typically 1–1.5 m tall and wide after many decades.). Indoors and in a pot, expect fronds 1–2 m long. In the ground with no restriction it is a completely different plant — whole plant typically 1–1.5 m tall and wide after many decades. — which is why the pot, the light and the pruning matter so much for the size you actually end up with.

It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Growth rate and years to mature

Burrawang is a slow grower. Realistically, expect a decade or more — slow growers like this add only a few centimetres a year, so expect 8-15+ years to reach their indoor ceiling. Its feeding profile backs this up: apply a slow-release balanced fertiliser (e.g. 10-10-10) once in spring; avoid high-nitrogen feeds that push soft, pest-prone growth.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the burrawang repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast burrawang grows.

How to keep burrawang smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For burrawang specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

  1. Pick the new height. Decide how tall you want burrawang and find a leaf node or branch point just below that.
  2. Top the main stem. Cut the main growing tip cleanly just above that node in spring; this permanently caps the height and forces side branches.
  3. Keep the pot snug. Avoid jumping to a much bigger pot — a slightly restricted rootball keeps the whole plant smaller.
  4. Maintain the shape. Prune back the tallest new leaders each spring to hold it at the height you chose.

How to grow burrawang bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for burrawang the accelerators are:

Light is almost always the ceiling. The burrawang light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When burrawang outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for burrawang:

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the burrawang repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the burrawang propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Burrawang size — frequently asked questions

How big does burrawang get?

Burrawang reaches fronds 1–2 m long when grown indoors, and far larger where it grows unrestricted (whole plant typically 1–1.5 m tall and wide after many decades.). It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Is burrawang slow or fast growing?

Burrawang is a slow grower. Expect a decade or more — slow growers like this add only a few centimetres a year, so expect 8-15+ years to reach their indoor ceiling. Burrawang is a tree at heart. Indoors a pot and your ceiling keep it to fronds 1–2 m long, but in the ground it is a different scale of plant entirely (whole plant typically 1–1.5 m tall and wide after many decades.).

How long does burrawang take to reach full size?

Roughly a decade or more — slow growers like this add only a few centimetres a year, so expect 8-15+ years to reach their indoor ceiling. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep burrawang smaller?

The decisive tool is the secateurs: burrawang can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape. Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size. Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height. Good news: slow growth means topping it once buys you years before it needs doing again.

How can I make burrawang grow bigger or faster?

The biggest lever is light — a tree-type plant in dim light barely gains height; move it brighter. Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back. Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.

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